


you're still a super hot female

by thefudge



Category: Succession (TV 2018)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Christmas Party, Dark fluff, F/M, Office Party, Sibling Incest, but it's the Roy's version of fluff, fluffy holiday fic, ost: gwen stefani - what you waiting for, prompt, request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 06:54:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21797425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thefudge/pseuds/thefudge
Summary: Ken and Shiv and the obligatory Christmas office party.
Relationships: Kendall Roy/Siobhan "Shiv" Roy
Comments: 6
Kudos: 47





	you're still a super hot female

**Author's Note:**

> This ficlet is based on the "fluffy holiday fic" challenge which includes a list of prompts you have to fill out for a given pair. https://thefudge.tumblr.com/post/189391284698/fluffy-holiday-fic-prompts
> 
> The prompts requested here were "workplace holiday party" + "too much eggnog". Hope you'll have fun, cuz I sure did!

Whoever let Greg replace the DJ halfway through the party was either a genius anarchist or too drunk to care.

Shiv knows it’s probably the latter. She downs the cognac-heavy eggnog from her glass and makes a disgruntled face. She didn’t know what she expected. Gwen Stefani is blasting “you’re still a super hot female!” from the speakers while Greg wiggles his headphones in a weird, nervous dance.

He’s pretty adorable, all things considered, but she’d still like nothing better than to go stomp on him now. 

Tom is haplessly flirting with one of the interns who spilled some eggnog on herself, but he’s trying to be self-aware about it.

“Oh gosh, isn’t this such a cliché: the boss wiping a dairy-based drink from the subordinate’s…oh no, I know I’m not _technically_ your boss, but I’m sort of your superior within the company, like on the general corporate ladder, argh, I know, I hate it too!”

Shiv is feeling too pissy to go and save him from that failed interaction. She turns her back to the crowd and looks out of the glossy black windows.

That chorus keeps stomping its pointed heels over her fragile nerves.

_Look at your watch now_ _  
You're still a super hot female!  
You got your million dollar contract  
And they're all waiting for your hot track_

Is she still a super hot female? Does she still got it? She has to laugh. It’s just a stupid song. But she needs the validation.

That's why her brother picks the wrong moment to come and talk to her. She notes that he looks pretty good in his casual blazer and checkered slacks. Roman must’ve picked the outfit for him. Oh God, is she the frumpy one in the family now? 

“Hey, why is Tom chasing that intern with a napkin around the room?”

Shiv snorts. “Not my problem.”

“Okay, but we don’t want a lawsuit on our –“

“I’m still hot, right?”

Shiv swirls the remains of eggnog in her glass. She asks the question like he’s been holding out some big secret from her.

Ken blinks. He scoffs in disbelief, but also stares pointedly at her glass. “You’re asking _me_?”

She stares at him through corn-yellow eyelashes. “You’re a guy. You can be…objective.”

Ken still laughs. He rubs his stubble. He should’ve shaved this morning. “You know I can’t be objective.”

“Why not?” She sounds petulant, leaning angrily against the buffet, her ass sticking out in that green dress.

Ken clears his throat. “You’re drunk. And plus, I don’t see you… that way. Like, ew. Gross.” He laughs again, a little gratuitous.

“_Gross_?” she echoes, frowning. “Seriously? What are you, five?”

“No, I just - Jesus, what do you want me to say?”

Shiv clenches her jaw. Okay, she _is_ drunk and she’s stuck at this office party from hell and _goddamn_ it, he _will_ call her hot.

So she gets right into his face. She’s good at that, even if she barely reaches his shoulder. “Tell me I’m hot, because I _am_, and you _think_ I am.”

"I don't -"

"Say it. Do it. You know I'm right."

Ken’s eyes narrow. The good-natured humor is gone. He stares at her clinically, lips slightly parted.

“Fine. You’re hot. I think you’re hot." 

Shiv holds his gaze. It’s like he’s staring at her through the barrel of a shotgun, but she’s pretty comfortable with that, actually.

"That good enough for you?” he asks quietly. 

She cocks her head. “Do you mean that?”

He swallows. “Yeah. You’re beautiful –”

Shiv groans. She turns away from him. “Ew, you ruined it.”

“_Ew_?” he echoes, stepping back with a strange limp. Everything is just too intense around this time of year. “Now who’s five?”

She laughs nervously, hair spills over her face, eyes get crinkly. She slips a finger inside her glass and licks the remains of eggnog.

Ken watches her. Razor-sharp focus, yet uncertain. 

“I’m just fucking with you,” she says, putting down the glass, wiping down the front of her dress. “I know you don’t see me like that.”

She sounds almost a little sad. 

Ken wants to say, _yeah, but you’re still –_

And it stops there. What is she, still?

Shiv gets on her tiptoes and kisses the side of his face, close to his mouth.

“Gonna go tell _Gregory_ to change the fucking song.”

He smiles, pats her on the back weakly, lets his fingers slowly slide away from her.

He feels an emptiness in his stomach, depressing but also thrilling. Like taking a hit. Like she’s a little bag of white powder.

Family always is.

Ken picks up her empty glass, sticks his finger inside. 

Beyond the dark windows it starts to snow.

**Author's Note:**

> joke's on them, cuz the next song on Greg's playlist is "Rich Girl" by Gwen Stefani (he's a huge fan)


End file.
